Swimming pool cleaner with rotary scrubbing action

ABSTRACT

An elongated hollow body is provided defining a center axis and including opposite inlet and outlet end portions and a central portion disposed therebetween. The outlet end portion defines a water outlet and the inlet portion defines a water inlet for connection with the outlet end of a water supply hose. The central portion of the body includes discharge openings spaced thereabout and longitudinally therealong for discharging water from within the central portion outwardly of the latter and the interior of the central portion includes structure movable in all transverse directions relative to the body and positionable by an imbalance of gravity forces acting thereon to a position in a lower portion of the body. This structure constitutes structure for throttling the discharge of water through the lower discharge openings formed through the central portion of the body and the central portion of the body is rotatably supported from the inlet and outlet end portions of the body and includes torque developing blade structure for imparting rotation to the central portion of the body in response to the flow of water therethrough under pressure and out the water outlet at the outlet end portion of the body. The rotatable central portion of the body includes circumferentially and longitudinally spaced outwardly projecting brush bristles, whereby rotation of the central portion of the body relative to its opposite end portions while the cleaner is resting on the bottom of a pool will cause the bottom surface of the pool to be scrubbed by the brush bristles.

United States Patent Proffit Mar. 25, 1975 1 1 SWIMMING POOL CLEANER WITH ROTARY SCRUBBING ACTION Lester M. Proffit, 14836 Polk St., Sylmar. Calif. 9134?.

Filed: Aug. 31, 1973 Appl. No.: 393,611

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 254,185, May 17,

1972, Pat. No. 3.776,464.

[76] inventor:

[52] US. Cl l5/l.7, 15/24, 15/104.12, 15/387, 134/167 R {51] Int. Cl. E04h 3/20, 30% 3/02 [58] Field of Search 15/].7, 104.12, 24, 387, 15/104.09; 134/167 R, 167 C; 239/229 [56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 599.840 3/1898 Holden l5/l04.l2 1,580,294 4/1926 Gawley 2.5063187 5/1950 Burns 15/24 Primary E.\'uminerEdward L. Roberts Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Clarence A. OBrien; Harvey B. Jacobson [57] ABSTRACT An elongated hollow body is provided defining a center axis and including opposite inlet and outlet end portions and a central portion disposed therebetween. The outlet end portion defines a water outlet and the inlet portion defines a water inlet for connection with the outlet end of a water supply hose. The central portion of the body includes discharge openings spaced thereabout and longitudinally for discharging water thereabout and longitudinally therealong for discharging water from within the central portion outwardly of the latter and the interior of the central portion includes structure movable in all transable by an imbalance of gravity forces acting thereon verse directions relative to the body and positionstructure constitutes structure for throttling the' discharge of water through the lower discharge openings formed through the central portion of the body and the central portion of the body is rotatably supported from the inlet and outlet end portions of the body and includes torque developing blade structure for imparting rotation to the central portion of the body in response to the flow of water therethrough under pressure and out the water outlet at the outlet end portion of the body. The rotatable central portion of the body includes circumferentially and longitudinally spaced outwardly projecting brush bristles, whereby rotation of the central portion of the body relative to its opposite end portions while the cleaner is resting on the bottom of'a pool will cause the bottom surface of the pool to be scrubbed by the brush bristles.

12 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTED MR2 5 I975 SHEETIOFZ Fig. 2

PATENTEU AR 2 51975 SHEET 2 [If 2 SWIMMING POOL CLEANER WITHROTARY SCRUBBING ACTION This application comprises a continuation-in-part of my copending US. application Ser. No. 254,185, filed May 17, I972, now US. Pat. No. 3,776,464.

The swimming pool cleaner of the instant invention has been primarily designed to provide a means whereby the pressure of water being returned into a swimming pool from the filter system thereof may be utilized to clean dirt from the bottom and side walls of a pool by water jetting action and brush bristle action. By jetting and scrubbing the dirt from the bottom and side walls of a pool, the dirt may be caused to remain in suspension, at least to a large extent, in order that the dirt removed from the bottom and side walls of the pool may be filtered from the water as water is pumped from the pool and through the filtering system of the pool before again being returned to the pool through the swimming pool cleaner.

The swimming pool cleaner has been designed for attachment to the discharge end of a flexible hose whose inlet end is connected to the discharge outlet for water returning into an associated swimming pool from the filter assembly thereof. The cleaner includes structural features whereby it will, by water jet action and brushing action propel itself about the pooladjacent the bottom thereof and direct jets of water over the bottom surface of the pool as well as the side surfaces of the pool. Also, the cleaner causes the bottom and side surfaces of the pool to be scrubbed with brush bristles. The jet action of the cleaner on the bottom and sides of the pool serves to aid in maintaining dirt scrubbed from the pool surfaces in suspension. In addition, the water jet action of the cleaner serves to maintain the cleaner in contact with the bottom and side wall surfaces of the pool so that at least most of the bottom and side wall surfaces of the pool will be acted upon both by brush bristles and water jets. As the dirt removed from the bottom and side walls of the pool is placed in suspension by the water jets, the dirt in suspension is drawn from the pool through the filter system therefor and filtered out of the water before the water is again pumped back into the pool.

The main object of this invention is to provide a pool cleaner capable of using a supply of water under pressure to remove by water jet action and brush bristle action, dirt clinging to the bottom and side wall surfaces of a pool.

Another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to provide a pool cleaner that will by water jet action, sufficiently impart turbulence to the water adjacent the cleaner whereby the dirt removed from the wall surfaces and bottom surfaces of the pool will be placed in suspension thereby enabling the dirt to be filtered out of the water as the water is pumped from the pool, through the filter system and back into the pool through the cleaner.

Another important object of this invention is to provide a pool cleaner in accordance with the preceding objects constructed in a manner whereby it may also utilize a supply of water under pressure to automatically propel itself about the pool in a random manner while being carried by the outlet end of a flexible water supply hose.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a pool cleaner in accordance with the immediately preceding objects and constructed in a manner whereby it will develop upward jets of water of greater magnitude than downwardly directed jets of water to thereby ensure that the cleaner, while moving in a random manner throughout the pool, will be maintained in close proximity to the bottom surfaces of the pool throughout a majority of the period of its operation.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a pool cleaner in accordance with the preceding objects which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and automatic in operation so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a conventional swimming pool with the swimming pool cleaner of the instant invention' disposed within the pool on the discharge end of a flexible hose having its inlet end coupled to the outlet of water from the filter assembly of the pool into the latter;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing through the longitudinal center line of the pool cleaner;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing through the longitudinal center of the pool cleaner;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the pool cleaner;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the coiled brush element of the pool cleaner;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially upon a plane indicated by the section line 66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the-rotary torque imparting blade structure of the pool cleaner by which the central portion of the body of the pool cleaner is rotated in. response to water being pumped through the cleaner;

FIG. 8, is a perspective view of the gravity controlled water throttling structure of the pool cleaner; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the sealed ball bearing structure by which the central and outlet end portions of the body of the cleaner are-rotatably journaled from the inlet end portion of the cleaner.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates a conventional form of swimming pool including opposite side walls 12 and 14, opposite end walls 16 and 18 and a bottom wall 20. The pool 10 includes the usual water outlets (not shown) for water flow from the pool to a water filtering assembly including a pump and a pump discharge (not shown) emptying back into the pool. The pump discharge also includes an auxiliary outlet (not shown) to which one end of an elongated flexible hose 22 is coupled and the pool cleaner of the instant invention which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 24 is secured to the other outlet end of the hose 22.

The pool cleaner 24 includes tubular inlet and outlet end portions 26- and 28 and an intermediate cylindrical portion 30. The inlet end portion includes an inlet neck 32 to which the discharge end of the hose 22 is secured by means of a clamp 34. The inlet end portion 26 additionally includes a central diametrically enlarged collar 36 and a tubular outlet neck 38 on the end thereof remote from the inlet neck 32. A sleeve 40 is secured over the outlet neck 38 and the inner race 42 of a sealed ball bearing assembly referred to in general by the reference numeral 44 is tightly received on the outer surface of the sleeve 40 between a pair of stop collars 46 and 48. The ball bearing assembly 44 includes an outer race 50 which is snugly received within the adjacent end of the tubular intermediate body portion 30 and secured therein by means of radial setscrews 52 carried by and spaced circumferentially above the adjacent end of the tubular intermediate body portion. The setscrews' 52 are threaded not only through the end of the intermediate body portion 30 adjacent the inlet end portion 26 but also through a stop collar 54 secured over the corresponding end of the intermediate body portion 30.

The outlet end portion 28 includes a diametrically reduced neck 56 on its end adjacent the tubular intermediate body portion 30 over which the latter is telescoped and secured in any convenient manner. Also, the outlet end portion 28 includes an end wall 58 having a central outlet opening 60 formed therethrough.

The end of the tubular intermediate body portion 30 telescoped over the diametrically reduced neck 56 of the discharge end portion 28 of the cleaner 24 has an outer abutment collar 62 corresponding to the collar 54 secured thereover. The portions of the tubular intermediate body portion 30 disposed between the collars 54 and 62 are provided with longitudinally and circumferentially spaced generally radial openings 64 and a bladed rotary torque developing member 66 is secured to the end portion of the tubular intermediate body portion 30 adjacent the outlet end portion 28 between a pair of abutment rings 68 and 70 secured withinthe portion 30 in axially spaced relation. I

A partial cylindrical water flow restricting member 72 is provided. The member 72 is of an axial length slightly less than the distance between the outlet neck 38 and the abutment ring 70 and is of an outside diameter considerably less than the inside diameter of the central body portion 30. The water flow restricting member 72 has a full length longitudinal slot or void 74 formed therein and it may be appreciated from FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings that the member 72 will assume, by gravity, a position engaging the inner surfaces of the lower periphery of the central portion 30 with the slot or void 74 disposed uppermost. Also provided is a rotary brush assembly referred to in general by the reference numeral 76 and the brush assembly 76 includes a coiled channel-shaped body 78 in which radially outwardly projecting brush bristles 80 are secured. The channel or channel member 78 is loosely disposed about the outer surfaces of the central portion 30 and yet frictionally engages those outer surfaces with sufficient frictional resistance to enable the brush assembly 76 to rotate with the central portion 30 while the brush bristles 80 are in contact with the bottom of the pool 10.

In operation, water is pumped through the hose 22 and the inlet end portion 26 into the interior of the central portion 30. Some of the water passes longitudinally through the central portion and out the opening 60 in the end wall 58 of the outlet end portion 28. This amount of water discharged under pressure through the opening 60 causes the cleaner 24 to be moved about the bottom 20 of the pool 10. Also, as the water passing longitudinally through the cleaner 24. passes through the bladed rotary torque developing member 66, the central portion 30 and the outlet end portion 28 are rotated about the longitudinal axis of the inlet end portion 26.'This rotation of the central portion 30 and the outlet end portion 28 causes the brush bristles to scrub the bottom 20 of the pool 10 as the cleaner 24 moves about the bottom 20 of the pool 10. Also, the water flow restricting member 72, by maintaining its position in the lower portion of the central portion 30 of the body of the pool cleaner 24, serves to at least partially throttle the discharge of water through the lowermost bores or openings 64. Thus, the discharge of water through the openings 64 results in an aggregate downward thrust of the central body portion 30 against the bottom 20 to thus maintain the pool cleaner 24 in contact with the bottom 20 and to increase the scrubbing action of the bristles 76 on the bottom 20.

The lateral jets of water being discharged from the central portion 30 of the pool cleaner serve to remove, by water jet action, the dirt from the bottom and side walls of the pool 10. Also, the scrubbing action of the bristles 80 serves to clean dirt from the bottom 20. However, the lateral jets of water discharged through the openings or bores 64 also serve to sufficiently agitate the water within the pool so that the dirt removed from the interior pool surfaces will be maintained in suspension until being filtered out by the filter assembly associated with the pool.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A pool cleaner for attachment to the discharge end of a flexible water supply hose disposed within a pool,

said pool cleaner including an elongated hollow body defining a center axis and including opposite inlet and outlet end portions and a central portion disposed therebetween, said outlet end portion including water outlet means and said inlet end portion including water inlet means adapted for connection with the outlet end of said hose, said central portion of said body including discharge openings spaced thereabout for discharging water from within said central portion outwardly of the latter, and water flow throttling means disposed within said central portion and movable, by an imbalance of gravity forces acting thereon, to a position in a lower portion of said body to throttle the discharge of water from the lower discharge openings in said central portion, whereby the aggregate thrust forces acting on said body as a result of water being discharged from said discharge openings will be in a downward direction to thus maintain said cleaner in a position at least closely adjacent the bottom of the associated pool, said central portion 'of said body being journaled from said inlet end portion thereof, said body including rotary torque developing means functioning, in response to water being discharged from said body, to impart rotary motion of said central portion relative to said inlet end portion.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said water outlet means opens endwise outwardly of said outlet end portion along a path at least generally centered relative to the axis of rotation of said central portion, said rotary torque developing means comprising water blade means disposed in said body on said axis slightly upstream from said water outlet means.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said central portion includes generally radially outwardly projecting bristles.

4. The combination of claim 3 including a coiled body member disposed about said central portion, said bristles being carried by said coiled body member.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said coiled body member is stiff but flexible and resilient, and coiled about said central portion in at least slight frictional engagement therewith.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said outlet end portion is supported in fixed position relative to said central portion for rotation with the latter relative to said inlet end portion.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said water outlet means opens endwise outwardly of said outlet end portion along a path at least generally centered relative to the axis of rotation of said central portion, said rotary torque developing means comprising water blade means disposed in said body on said axis slightly upstream from said water outlet means.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said central portion including generally radially outwardly projecting bristles.

9. The combination of claim 8 including a coiled body member disposed about said central portion, said bristles being carried by said coiled body member, said coiled body member being stiff but flexible and resilient, and coiled about said central portion in at least slight frictional engagement therewith.

10. The combination of claim 1 wherein said central portion of said body and said inlet end portion include coacting means removably journaling said central portion from said inlet end portion.

11. A pool cleaner for attachment to the discharge end of a flexible water supply hose disposed within a pool, said pool cleaner including an elongated hollow body defining a center axis and including opposite inlet water from within said body outwardly of the latter,

said body including outwardly projecting bristles spaced thereabout and longitudinally therealong, and water throttling means disposed within said body and movable, by an imbalance of gravity forces acting thereon, to a position to throttle the discharge of water from the lower discharge openings in said body, whereby the aggregate thrust forces acting on said body as a result of water being discharged from said discharge openings will be in a downward direction to thus maintain said cleaner in a position at least closely ad jacent the bottom of the associated pool.

12. A pool cleaner for attachment to the discharge end of a flexible water supply hose disposed within a pool, said pool cleaner including an elongated hollow body defining a center axis and including opposite inlet and outlet end portions, said hollow body, exclusive of said inlet end portion thereof being journaled from the latter for rotation about an axis generally coinciding with said center axis, the journaled portion of said body including outwardly projecting bristles spaced thereabout and longitudinally therealong and rotary torque developing means operative, in response to water flowing through said body and out the outlet end thereof, to impart rotary motion to said journaled portion relative to said inlet end portion, said journaled portion including discharge openings spaced thereabout for discharging water from within said journaled portion outwardly of the latter, and water flow throttling means disposed within said journaled portion and movable, by an imbalance of gravity forces acting thereon, to a position in a lower portion of said body to throttle the discharge of water from the lower discharge openings in said central portion, whereby the aggregate thrust forces acting on said body as a result of water being discharged from said discharge openings will be in a downward direction to thus maintain said cleaner in a position at least closely adjacent the bottom of the associated pool. 

1. A pool cleaner for attachment to the discharge end of a flexible water supply hose disposed within a pool, said pool cleaner including an elongated hollow body defining a center axis and including opposite inlet and outlet end portions and a central portion disposed therebetween, said outlet end portion including water outlet means and said inlet end portion including water inlet means adapted for connection with the outlet end of said hose, said central portion of said body including discharge openings spaced thereabout for discharging water from within said central portion outwardly of the latter, and water flow throttling means disposed within said central portion and movable, by an imbalance of gravity forces acting thereon, to a position in a lower portion of said body to throttle the discharge of water from the lower discharge openings in said central portion, whereby the aggregate thrust forces acting on said body as a result of water being discharged from said discharge openings will be in a downward direction to thus maintain said cleaner in a position at least closely adjacent the bottom of the associated pool, said central portion of said body being journaled from said inlet end portion thereof, said body including rotary torque developing means functioning, in response to water being discharged from said body, to impart rotary motion of said central portion relative to said inlet end portion.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said water outlet means opens endwise outwardly of said outlet end portion along a path at least generally centered relative to the axis of rotation of said central portion, said rotary torque developing means comprising water blade means disposed in said body on said axis slightly upstream from said water outlet means.
 3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said central portion includes generally radially outwardly projecting bristles.
 4. The combination of claim 3 including a coiled body member disposed about said central portion, said bristles being carried by said coiled body member.
 5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said coiled body member is stiff but flexible and resilient, and coiled about said central portion in at least slight frictional engagement therewith.
 6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said outlet end portion is supported in fixed position relative to said central portion for rotation with the latter relative to said inlet end portion.
 7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said water outlet means opens endwise outwardly of said outlet end portion along a path at least generally centered relative to the axis of rotation of said central portion, said rotary torque developing means comprising water blade means disposed in said body on said axis slightly upstream from said water outlet means.
 8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said central portion including generally radially outwardly projecting bristles.
 9. The combination of claim 8 including a coiled body member disposed about said central portion, said bristles being carried by said coiled body member, said coiled body member being stiff but flexible and resilient, and coiled about said central portion in at least slight frictional engagement therewith.
 10. The combination of claim 1 wherein said central portion of said body and said inlet end portion include coacting means removably journaling said central portion from said inlet end portion.
 11. A pool cleaner for attachment to the discharge end of a flexible water supply hose disposed within a pool, said pool cleaner including an elongated hollow body defining a center axis and including opposite inlet and outlet end portions, said hollow body including discharge openings spaced thereabout for discharging water from within said body outwardly of the latter, said body including outwardly projecting bristles spaced thereabout and longitudinally therealong, and water throttling means disposed within said body and movable, by an imbalance of gravity forces acting thereon, to a position to throttle the discharge of water from the lower discharge openings in said body, whereby the aggregate thrust forces acting on said body as a result of water being discharged from said discharge openings will be in a downward direction to thus maintain said cleaner in a position at least closely adjacent the bottom of the associated pool.
 12. A pool cleaner for attachment to the discharge end of a flexible water supply hose disposed within a pool, said pool cleaner including an elongated hollow body defining a center axis and including opposite inlet and outlet end portions, said hollow body, exclusive of said inlet end portion thereof being journaled from the latter for rotation about an axis generally coinciding with said center axis, the journaled portion of said body including outwardly projecting bristles spaced thereabout and longitudinally therealong and rotary torque developing means operative, in response to water flowing through said body and out the outlet end thereof, to impart rotary motion to said journaled portion relative to said inlet end portion, said journaled portion including discharge openings spaced thereabout for discharging water from within said journaled portion outwardly of the latter, and water flow throttling means disposed within said journaled portion and movable, by an imbalance of gravity forces acting thereon, to a position in a lower portion of said body to throttle the discharge of water from the lower discharge openings in said central portIon, whereby the aggregate thrust forces acting on said body as a result of water being discharged from said discharge openings will be in a downward direction to thus maintain said cleaner in a position at least closely adjacent the bottom of the associated pool. 